The Side Part: Week 5 – Thanks

Thanksgiving is upon us and as the basketball season gets its legs underneath it, Thunder fans are learning more and more about this team. Hell’s getting cold as apparently Derek Fisher has decided to be a lockdown defender this season. Scott Brooks is still refusing to wear his glasses during the game. Kevin Durant’s got a new restaurant and the whole team really enjoyed themselves at its opening. So on.

Also, wanted to say thanks to you for reading this nonsense. The general silliness of this column is not lost on me and I’m aware that it’s much different from the analysis Royce brings. As most of you have, I’ve read this site since its inception way back when and I’m still floored that I get to write for it even a little bit. I appreciate you reading. Awful kind of you. This column got moved up a couple days this week because, really, who wants to read anything other than scores on Thanksgiving? Enjoy your families and your friends and the turkey and the football and the food comas. And as Thanksgiving comes and goes and the lights of Christmas start twinkling bright and fuzzy in the dead trees off in the smoky, soon-to-be-December distance — shadows being flung down onto the red clay looking like hands stretching out across the prairie night — let’s all agree to put some Kings and Jaxs on our wish lists for Santa this year.

I see Spurs fans talking shit across forums about the game today. This week is going to be awesome. I get to see the Thunder whoop the Spurs ass and the Spurs fans cry about how the refs cheated for the Thunder, Thanksgiving is tomorrow so I get to stuff my face, and on Black Friday I'm picking up The Last Of Us, AC IV & BF4.

@Lost Ones I think those are very impressive numbers but are hardly sustainable. Hels also well below career averages in PPG, RPG and assists per game. hes every effiecient to be sure, but I just dont think his shooting %'s make him a clear cut favorite. Besides, talking MVP after 12 games seems kind of silly to me.

I'm okay with perk setting goals on the court if it translates to decisiveness on the offensive side. if his aware of an opening, he should always take it. Even if he misses, good things will happen, and furthermore the D will actually have to keep an eye on him. there is alot of significance in that

Serge Ibaka, F,Oklahoma City Thunder: I'm a longtime critic of Ibaka's. The man gets votes because he blocks a lot of shots and gets a lot of rebounds for a good team.

But for my money, this season, Ibaka's legitimately been the second-best defender on the floor. He's defending at the rim better, and he's become much, much better in space. When you're the rebounding and blocking force he is and you stop falling for pump fakes (and start getting real), you actually belong in the conversation.

He's also taking on a lot more responsibility this season for one of the better defenses in the NBA. He's no longer just an additional component, he's more of a centerpiece than ever.

He's in there with other guys on this list, but if I had to pick a runner-up right now, it's Ibaka.

About 8 drinks down. Just finished watching some movies and some Key and Peele at a buddy's house, accompanied by Guinness, Young's Double Chocolate Stout, and Evan Williams. It's been a while since I felt this floaty. DT, what's happening with you?